Monsters' scoring woes continue in loss to Rochester

More than 5,000 third graders poured into Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday morning for Student Education Day to learn what area hockey fans already know:

The Monsters are going through a scoring drought causing them to sink in the Western Conference standings.

After being shutout Sunday afternoon in Abbotsford, British Columbia, the Monsters were shut out for more than 55 minutes Tuesday in a 4-1 loss to North Division rival Rochester.

The scoreless stretch started at 19:04 of the second period Saturday in Abbotsford and included two five-minute overtimes -- 146 minutes and 33 seconds without a goal.

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Lake Erie's only tally Tuesday was a goal by Paul Carey, his 10th of the season, with 4:13 to play. David van der Gulik slid the puck across the front of the net to Carey on the top left of the crease. Carey poked the puck past Americans goalie David Leggio before Leggio could slide across to block it.

The power play has been dreadful during the five-game losing streak that includes three shootout losses. They were 0-for-3 with a man advantage Tuesday. Dating to a 4-1 home loss to Abbotsford on Feb. 1, when the losing streak started, the Monsters have been held without a goal on 22 straight power plays.

Dating back to a 2-1 shootout loss to Hamilton on Jan. 26, followed by a 4-1 victory over Abbotsford five days later, the Monsters have only two power-play goals in their last 36 chances.

The Monsters had handy excuses for their scoring struggles Tuesday but did not use them. They took a red-eye from Abbotsford late Sunday night to Toronto and then had a four-hour layover before flying to Cleveland and landing at noon.

"We definitely had tired legs, but that's no excuse," Carey said. "We had plenty of time to rest (Monday). We're not getting the puck to the net. We're not getting bounces. We have to bear down."

The Monsters' struggles on the power play are bad enough, but they were even more glaring in the second period when Rochester scored short-handed.

Monsters defenseman Markus Lauridsen had the puck just inside the neutral zone when Rochester center Phil Varone stole it off his stick. Varone skated in alone and snapped the puck past Lake Erie goalie Calvin Pickard for a 2-0 Rochester lead. Varone also scored an empty-net goal with 1:03 left to remove all doubt.

Ten skaters plus goalie Sami Aittokallio were scratched from the Monsters lineup for various reasons. Chynoweth, though, said the Monsters were not stretched too thin.

The Monsters are 24-18-2-5. They have 55 points and are tied with Rochester for fifth in the West. The Americans, though, have played 45 games, four fewer than the Monsters. Toronto, one point behind Lake Erie and Rochester, has also played four fewer than the Monsters.

Lake Erie is on the road for the next three games. The Monsters play in Grand Rapids on Friday, in Chicago on Saturday and in Rockford on Sunday.